This disclosure relates to devices for mounting solar panels to roofs of building structures. Specifically, this disclosure relates to an over-the-panel clamping devices including solar panel end clamps.
Solar Panels can mount to various types of roof structures, such as pitched shingle roofs, tile roofs, metal roofs, or concrete roofs. Solar panels and solar panel arrays commonly secure to rails that typically span to the length of one or more solar panels. Mounting brackets typically secure the rails the roof structure. So-called rail-less mounting devices can mount solar panels and solar panel arrays to roof structures without rails.
In either instance, over-the-panel clamps, also known as top-clamps, can secure the solar panels to the rail or the rail-less mounting devices. Top-clamps clamp the top of the solar panel frame to a mounting structure, such as a rail or a rail-less mounting bracket, by clamping pressure between the top of the solar panel frame and the mounting structure. Over-the-panel clamps include mid-clamps and end clamps. Mid-clamps, mount between two solar panels. End clamps mount at an outside perimeter or end of an array of solar panels.
Solar panel installers and solar panel mounting device manufacturers seek to simply installation and minimize system costs. One challenge they face is that solar panel frames are not all standardized around a single height. The height can vary according to solar panel manufacturer. For example, solar panel heights often range from 30 mm (1.18 inches) to 50 mm (1.97 inches). Some solar panel mounting device manufacturers offer a range of end clamps, each with different heights to accommodate a corresponding range of solar panel frame heights. Other solar panel mounting device manufacturers offer height adjustable end clamp assemblies where a single end clamp assembly can incrementally accommodate two or more standard solar panel frame heights.